I'm not alone, there are plenty of people like me.

I have been looking, as I often do, at Frugal Websites. I do this when I feel as if I'm doing what I do when no one elses bothers. I feel a bit isolated at the moment because, in a management meeting at school, they were discussing rewards for students and mentioned a chain of restaurants,where the reward was a family voucher, so the winning student could take their family for supper. I had never heard of it. It was then I realised how far out of the social loop I am, as I haven't eaten out since 2008, when I went cold turkey and stopped spending money.

Every now and then, I miss money. Once, if I needed clothes, I went to a shop and bought them. Now, I have to scour eBay and charity shops and keep a constant eye open. I can't buy what I need when I need it, but have to pre-empt that if I see something in my size. If I see a pair of long legged size 16 jeans, I buy them! If I see something smart for work. I buy it. If something comes up on Freecycle that I could need, then I ask for it and sometimes get it. I now have a £20 a month budget for shoes and all clothing...........and I stick to it.

Today, I was reading various posts and articles on the Economides family website, that you can visit by clicking here . I do a lot of the things they do:

I stock take at home every week - I don't buy what I already have
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I  stock up if something is stupidly cheap and it will keep. Loo rolls, soap powder, shampoo or pet food.

I only buy what's on the list and I only shop with a debit card.

I menu plan and shop for the menu, including packed lunches, snacks and drinks

I take a flask with me when we go out - there is no way  I will pay for a coffee/.

I never carry cash and I leave my debit card at home - I can not impulse buy.

If I go charity shopping, I allow myself £10 and I allow myself to do this once a fortnight.

I bulk cook and freeze meals.

I ration diesel and use of my car to make what fuel I have last a week.

I use freecycle to give things away and sometimes to get things.

I ask the school canteen if I can recycle their plastic containers for plant pots or to use in the home (cat litter, dog biscuits, a bin in each room).

Their website was brilliant and I enjoyed reading it. I am not alone, and I wish I had always lived this way. I soon found out who my friends were when I couldn't any longer take part in activities that cost money as I now don't have any. The real friends are just that and have stuck with me.